First time doing research?

General databases

A database is a collection of information on a specific subject, or produced for a specific audience. A general database has a broad range of topics, a specialized database is aimed at a certain subject or profession. Usually a database collects information from magazines and journals, but sometimes they include news transcripts, conference proceedings and other types of resources.

Some examples of general databases at YHC are

General Overview

So you've got a research project. Here are some steps that can make the process a little easier.

Be sure you undersand your topic. This may mean looking up words in the dictionary, or concepts or events in an encyclopedia. You may need to do some research before you can begin your research.

Think about the depth and timeliness of the information you need. As a general rule - books are deep information about large concepts or events in the past. Journal articles deal in depth with a very specific aspect of a subject. Newspapers, general interest magazines and newspapers deal superficially with current events. All have their place, but you need to understand so you know where to begin.

Academic databases do not work like a search engine. They are based on a controlled vocabulary. They are not intuitive enough to do the Google "did you mean.....?" If you don't get the results you'd like, think of synonyms for your terms

It's never wrong to ask for help. We can save you a lot of time and frustration by getting you on the right track to finding the resources you need!

Ready to go? Use the tabs at the top to find information about the different types of resources available to you at YHC!